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Old 04-13-2006, 11:22 PM   #215
Alcarillo
Shadow of the Past
 
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Minas Mor-go
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Gárwine awoke when the morning's bright light shone through his window. He stirred, and stretched his arms and groaned deeply. He could hear footsteps outside in the hallway; people were already awake. He rolled out of bed and stood slowly. He shook the tiredness out of his limbs, and slowly got dressed, yawning a few times, stretching his arms again, and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The sunlight through the window seemed less harsh now, and his limbs were less heavy. He was soon ready for the day and left his room to see what all the noises in the hall were about.

Gárwine left his room and walked down the hall. Near its end he could see an open door, and Thornden in the doorway, looking inside with a solemn look on his face. Gárwine approached.

"Thornden, what's going on? I woke up when I heard the footsteps in the hall, and I thought something might've happened."

"Look," said Thornded. He pointed into the room. Resting on the bed was a boy, younger than Gárwine, and obviously wounded. Across his face were the drying remains of blood. He seemed half-asleep and bewildered by the way his eyes would flicker open and shut. "I found him out in the city."

"Good grief," said Gárwine, "He sure took a knock to the head." But Thornden wasn't listening and was back to watching the boy. Gárwine shrugged, and decided he was hungry. Though Gárwine was curious, whatever had happened to the wounded boy could wait until after a good breakfast. By then they should have him up and talking. I bet they'll bring a Healer from Meduseld, then he'll be awake in no time.

Gárwine wandered into the kitchen, where the rubble of the collapse had been cleared away and shoved aside to make adequate room for the necessities of a working kitchen. The kitchen was empty; either everybody was still asleep this early in the morning or watching the wounded boy. Larswic and his boys were in the hall, though, probably up to no good. Gárwine distinctly remembered hearing the two boys laughing outside in the dead of night.

A tray of rolls was on the table, still a bit warm from the oven. Gárwine grabbed one and started munching on it as he searched for other food. He found a loaf of dark bread and a wheel of bright yellow cheese nearby. He cut a piece of each with one of the long knives Kara always used and arranged his food neatly in a napkin. Garwine would carry it back to his room to eat and not into the hall. He did not like the looks of the two boys. Larswic seemed kind enough, but his boys had gained a place of suspicion in Gárwine's mind. What were they laughing so loudly about in the wee hours of the morning? Even Manawyth now was tolerable and had proved his good will through the test of time.
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